La Canada Flintridge

Girls Scouts

New Badge Transition

A Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting​

As previously announced, “The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting”, a girl handbook, will be out in September 2011. There will now be a book available for each program grade level – Daisy through Ambassador. Although self-described as a book for girls, the book is considered to be a sufficient leader resource as well. Girls will use these books in conjunction with the Journey books.

What Will The Book Include?

Each girl will want her own copy since the “Girl’s Guide” will contain information such as:

• Girl Scout history• Girl Scout traditions• What’s Special about being a Girl Scout• List of emblems and awards ( i.e. membership stars, GSUSA strip, council strip, etc.)• Awards log• Diagram of sash/vest with badge placement• Bridging award requirements for relevant program level• Bronze, Silver, Gold Award requirements for relevant program levels• Additional program information for each level such as Program Aide or Counselor in Training info• Journey map for relevant program level• Map showing all the councils and special Girl Scout places (i.e., the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, World Centers, etc.)

What’s Happening with Badges?

Skill-building badges remain an important part of the Girl Scout program. As promised, Girl Scouts of the USA is working on new badges for Brownies – Ambassadors, and new content for Daisies to enjoy as they earn their petals. The new badges will offer a great mix of tradition, variety, fun and challenge. Each grade level will feature a special shape for their awards.

In a more inclusive, less jargon-heavy approach, all shapes (except petals for Daisies) will be referred to as badges. No more “Try-Its”, “Interest Project Patches”, etc. Everything remains the same except the name. The shape and the contents or focus of the awards will be nothing new.

Here are a few of the categories of the badges that will be available:

Legacy Badges

To honor the past and keep badges relevant to today’s girls, new content will be incorporated into the topics that have been a part of Girl Scouting since the beginning. These badges will be offered for Brownies through Ambassadors: Artist, Athlete, Citizen, Cook, First Aid, Naturalist, The Girl Scout Way.

Financial Literacy Badges

These awards will be offered for Daisies through Ambassadors. (Daisies will have two “leaves” to add around their Daisy petals). Through these, girls will learn how to: Use money wisely to reach goals, be educated consumers, develop business skills for the workplace, become independent women who can support themselves and give back to their communities.

Cookie Badges

These badges will also be offered for Daisies through Ambassadors. (Daisies will, once again, earn two additional “leaves” to add around their Daisy petals and Promise Center.) Through these recognitions, girls will learn business skills through the practical application of the cookie sale.

Some other categories of the badges will include religious recognition, lifesaving awards, specialty badges and more.

Click HERE for a link which further describes the transition to the new badges.

How will the Journeys and the new badges work together?

Journeys engage girls in exploring Girl Scouting’s three keys to leadership (Discover, Connect, Take Action). Badges provide skill-building opportunities in a variety of topics that are part of the Girl Scout legacy (like nature, art, cooking, sports, first aid and more) and topics girls love like photography, design, animals and car care. The new badges will have fun ideas about how earning them links to the Journey experience.

Planning for the Transition

Here are some tips to help you plan for the transition:

• Check THIS LISTof discontinued try-its, badges, IPs and more to determine if you need to purchase these items NOW before they are discontinued.

• Have your troop plan for the rest of your troop year and order your patches now to insure you have them.

• April – Summer 2011 – Do not purchase the current handbooks or resources, If you need them for a reference, borrow them from another leader or the Volunteer Resource Center.

Purchase any of the 3 Journeys to work on with your troop.

• Fall 2011 – The existing resources will no longer be available. Girls will use the Journeys and The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting for their program.